Hi. It's me.
It's been a long time.
How've you been?
As some of you may have noticed, I've been missing from the scene for a while. I've had a lot going on in my personal life--mostly good--which has kept me busy. Things still haven't settled down--in fact, they're about to get worse--but I'm trying to refocus my attention to my interests on the web. Which includes you, of course.
Anyway, my point. From a housekeeping point of view, there are two big tasks I have on my list for this site. The first is to move it from one hosting plan to another, which (for reasons too mundane to numerate here) would involve physically moving the site and the database. That's a big deal, since it includes not just this site, but the blogfucker site and peaceblogs.org. I've been putting it off until Six Apart released MovableType 3.0, so I could upgrade at the same time. That was task number two--the upgrade.
Well, it turns out that Ben and Mena are charging for MT3, if you have more than one author or more than three blogs. This site currently has 47 authors. Obviously, most of them don't post regularly, but their top non-commercial license tops out at nine authors (and costs $150). I'm sure we could work it out with Six Apart to customize a license, but it would certainly cost even more.
What does this mean for us? I don't know. We don't *need* to upgrade right now, so we can wait and see. I can still move the site to the new hosting plan--I hope to do it this week (or maybe over the weekend), so expect some downtime.
As far as the upgrade goes, we could:
a) pony up the dough for an MT license
b) switch to a free service
or
c) write our own content management system to power the site
Personally, I would prefer option b) or c). Since interest appears to be lagging on the site right now, I'd rather not buy a license.
What do you all think?
And while we're at it, I wonder if we shouldn't use this opportunity to address any other issues that have been on people's minds. Is there anything we/I can do to restore interest in the site? Or should we bother? Are there any issues, technical or cultural, that anyone would like to address?
Fire away.
Posted by jpoulos at May 13, 2004 12:02 PMWhy upgrade at all? I don't know that mt3 offers anything that blacklist doesn't.
If I were tweaking this site, I'd tweak it's main template, which has become sort of stale.
Less booze talk would be cool.
And canceling summer, too. I hate summer.
Posted by: jonmc on May 13, 2004 01:13 PMSheesh jonmc, you're like the anti to my matter. Less Booze? No summer? Gah.
In all seriousness, though, ditto what dong said or, if neccessary, option B. Option C is intriguing (Flingable Poo by 9622, v1.0 - heh.) but I've got enough futzing around with datbases and code cleaning on my plate for work currently.
The aforementioned is also why I haven't been playing around these here parts lately, as version 1.5 of my work sites just went up and I've been fucking around with various backend tweeks and a rather niggling yet persistant css bug in the layout.
Speaking of work....sigh.
How do I put this without sounding like a whiner, romakimmy?
I like hanging around here and listening to all the bantering and goofery, but when the talk turns to drunken nostalgia, it gets me wistful for my drinking days, which since I'm trying to stay sober, is dangerous for me. But I also realize that I shouldn't spoil everybody else's good time because of my problem.
as far as summer goes. I'm a pale, skinny, grubby, pimply, grumpy, northeaterner, who dosen't drink or chase women, hates the beach and hot weather. I spent my school summer vacations mopping supermarket floors and busing restaurant tables, so nostalgias out. Summer ain't a good time for me.
Posted by: jonmc on May 13, 2004 01:55 PMI agree that we could use a facelift. If anyone wants to tackle that, feel free. If not, I'll do it...eventually.
Posted by: jpoulos on May 13, 2004 02:36 PMCan we turn this site into the negativity of life? Please, the plus side will equal more viewers like in the Gerry Springor(sic) show.
I spent my school summer vacations mopping supermarket floors and busing restaurant tables, so nostalgias out. Summer ain't a good time for me.
Jon, similar boat which is a reason to celebrate the summer. Don't enjoy the sun, do it the dark at night, hear its "CooL".
more viewers like on the Gerry Springor(sic) show.
On on on, am I on?
I'd offer to facelift things since I suggested it, but I'm busy watching lawyers kill my book.
*sigh*
Posted by: dong resin on May 13, 2004 03:06 PMUpgrading to 3 isn't necessary, but could you jump it to 2.661? It'll, at the very least, kill off some of the spam links with the new redirect.
I'm sure I have a copy somewhere.
Wait, I missed options b) and c). What about phpNuke? Or something like that? It seems more geared toward discussion than weblog, which is what this site essentially is.
Posted by: eyeballkid on May 13, 2004 03:12 PMFucking lawyers.
Yes, I'll upgrade to 2.661. I'll do it tonight.
Posted by: jpoulos on May 13, 2004 03:18 PMDunno about "reviving interest." I can only control my own interest in these parts, and I'm around here damn near every day. (I try to get farther away sometimes, but the ankle bracelet starts beeping, and you know...)
Current template is fine by me. Or I'd be happy to pony up some dough. (Does TypePad have multiple-author support?) Or...what about Freefilter or one of the other MeFi clone software packages?
Posted by: Vidiot on May 13, 2004 03:31 PMI'd offer to facelift things since I suggested it, but I'm busy watching lawyers kill my book.
WTF?!? I already pre-bought my copy on Amazon! Ten bucks for Wal-Mart-Ready dong? That shit ain't right.
Posted by: krimur on May 13, 2004 04:37 PMThere are some community-type issues that I will be addressing with certain people via email very, very soon. Life has been kinda hectic (how can someone with no job be so damn busy?) around these parts as well or I would be more active here.
Posted by: tj on May 13, 2004 05:05 PMhow come there are 47 posters and I am not one of them?
stop bragging DR...
Also - for some reason I never think to come here any more even though I used to be completely obsessed with reading your witticisms, but I thought that was mostly to do with me, and not at all to do with what was here.
Posted by: hereitype on May 13, 2004 06:54 PMMoving to 2.661 should be fine for now, I guess. 3.0 looks interesting, but I can't see it being necessary for this site.
Posted by: adam on May 13, 2004 07:02 PMYeah. 3.0, at least the dev version, doesn't seem to do anything but lock the comments down. This site is never going to have a photoblog or need mobile access or anything like that. 2.661 should be fine.
Posted by: eyeballkid on May 13, 2004 07:52 PMDearest Lupo et al.,
I probably rely on this site more than most for fun, sociability, etc. and since I have no hosting, programming, or any other non-sexual skills, I'd vote for throwing money.
But hey, that's just me.
I'm leaving town in the morning and won't be back till Tuesday, so don't do anything radical while I'm gone, OK?
Lots of love and tipsy kisses,
tizzie
I'm voting for Nader.
Ummm...I mean...my vote goes for whatever. I don't care. Whatever you folks want to do. Whoa! I spy something Donglike!
Posted by: ColdChef on May 14, 2004 12:10 AM"...since I have no hosting, programming, or any other non-sexual skills..."
With someone as callipygian as yourself, I wouldn't discount those sexual skills quite so readily.
*wink-wink, nudge-nudge*
Posted by: Crash on May 14, 2004 01:20 AMWow, it's like a Word-of-the-Day Calendar for the filthy-minded.
Posted by: arto on May 14, 2004 04:13 AMSo, have we just decided to give up and leave this site to the spambots? Damn their leathery hides.
Posted by: ColdChef on May 16, 2004 04:36 PMI'M a spambot. What do you have against spam bots anyway?
Posted by: eyeballkid on May 16, 2004 09:48 PMWe need a jucy topic like 'what was your most embarrasing sexual experience involving hot cheese and/or penutbutter?'
Posted by: towerbrave on May 17, 2004 09:08 AMNo sexual expereiences with hot cheese, but due to an unfortunate appetizer incident, I once made it all the way to my desk at work before realizing I had swirls of encrusted cheese on my knees. (no joke)
Posted by: jonmc on May 17, 2004 10:28 AMthere was that one time in the el camino limo with the midget and girl with webbed toes... but I can't talk about that until the statute of limitations is over.
Posted by: tj on May 17, 2004 02:03 PMNot really. When it was all over, he felt a bit down in the mouth.
Posted by: Vidiot on May 18, 2004 05:46 AMWith someone as callipygian as yourself, I wouldn't discount those sexual skills quite so readily.
I love it when Crash Davis notices my assets.
I've returned from my forest retreat, looking like a grubby blonde Sasquatch. Did y'all decide what to do about the upgrade while I was gone?
**crickets**
Posted by: tizzie on May 18, 2004 09:19 AMDude. It's totally different. Can't you see?
Posted by: kafka ver magnusson on May 18, 2004 12:41 PMa) pony up the dough for an MT license
Trade a g-mail account for it.
Kerry got more votes than Bush in the Kentucky primary today - 138,108 to 108,517. There were 117,327 GOP presidential votes, and 229,784 Democratic votes.
Yay, Kentucky!
Plus, we have the best names here. Where else do you find state house candidates named Darryl, Floyd, and Milward? How about C. Robert Bobby Taylor? or Little Shag Branham?
I couldn't make this stuff up.
Posted by: tizzie on May 18, 2004 09:47 PMI still think the greatest politician name of all time was B.C.'s first premier, Amour de Cosmos. Although Little Shag is pretty close...
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